Can't Turn Back Now, I'm Haunted
by ausllyxaustinally
Summary: All he wanted was an average life, all he wanted to be was an average boy, all he wanted was to live in an average city. Austin did not want to see ghosts, let alone fall in love with one. / / AUSLLY. ROMANCE/SUPERNATURAL. [HALLOWEEN-ish FIC]
1. Chapter 1

It was the first day of October and Austin Moon's first day at Marino High, a small school in Miami. He was stuck in the office, waiting on the principle to arrive. He bounced his knee anxiously until finally he met the green eyes of a woman.

She extended her lengthy arm firmly, "Hi, Ms. Dixon, you must be Austin Moon. It's a pleasure to meet you." she said. Austin shook her hand as he rose from his seat. She took him in a room in the back. "Please, sit down. I just want to talk for a moment."

He really didn't. He just wanted to grab his schedule and go. He didn't even care for a map at this point. It's not like he could get lost. Marino High only had one floor. He took his seat anyways and listened to her fingers type loudly on her computer key board before she faced him, folding her palms together on her desk.

"You've come from Orlando? Is that your hometown?" she asked.

Austin didn't know why this was exactly relevant, or why she cared. He focused on her polished nametag that sat on the right corner of her desk. He nodded his head. "Yeah, I was born and raised there by both my parents."

"What made you move here?" asked Ms. Dixon.

"My parents own a mattress store and it got relocated to Miami." he said, "They enrolled me in the first school they found."

Ms. Dixon nodded. "I reviewed your records from your last school." she said and watched him noticeably cringe. "You missed a lot of classes and have a tremendous amount of late's. You also hold an outstanding record for having more than enough suspensions without being expelled."

Austin nodded his head, "Uh, Yeah. But I'm not doing that anymore."

"I'm glad to hear that." she smiled wryly. _I bet you are_, Austin thought to himself. "I'm glad you chose Marino. We're a pleasant school and our goal is for our students to achieve their greatest dreams. We have great courses here, the top teachers, and amazing tutors. We also have a few mentors, I'll be giving you one to take the stress off of finding your classes alone."

Austin nodded his head. Ms. Dixon slid a map and schedule over to him. Austin collected it in his hands right away. He scanned over his schedule and tried not to grunt. Of course he had all the boring classes. Well, except for P.E., at least he had that. He was the top basketball player back at his old school, a"Ilong with holding himself a place on the sprint team.

There was a light knock on the door. Ms. Dixon smiled, "That would be your mentor." she said. Ms. Dixon called for the mentor to step in. "Austin, I'd like you to meet your mentor, Trish De La Rosa."

Trish had a round face that looked cute when she smiled. She didn't seem so bad and Austin had a feeling that if he didn't make any friends here, maybe she was one of those really nice people who would take you in like a lost puppy. Austin nodded his head at her as she waved.

"He's yours for the day, Miss De La Rosa." Ms. Dixon said, dismissing the two from her office. Austin was relieved as he collected his stuff and followed that Trish girl out of the office.

"So, your name's Austin?" Trish said as she walked down the hall with him. Austin nodded his head. "Well, that name's not so bad."

"What, you don't like it?" he asked her.

"Not that I don't like it, I just...Austin sounds like one of those...little boy names. It's nothing dark and mysterious. New kids are supposed to be dark and mysterious, not predictable." Trish voiced. "Don't give me that look it's true, not hurry up so I can show you when the Science wing is."

Austin laughed slightly, "You're not what I expected."

"Yeah, Yeah," she muttered, "But first impressions are everything."

"That's true." Austin nodded. "So, I guess you're not the nice, quiet type then?"

"That was your first impression of me?" Trish looked up at him. Austin nodded his head. She huffed, "Me? Nice and quiet? Imagine if Dez heard that."

"Who's that?" Austin questioned.

"A weird kid that I discipline myself into hanging out with." Trish said. Austin laughed again slightly. "You know, I think I kinda like you, new kid. You can hang out with us at lunch. I mean, it's the least you can do. Dez and I don't really have any other friends so if you could just..."

"Sit with you so you look like you have more friends?" he guessed.

Trish grinned, "That's it."

He shrugged, "Alright."

**x**

"Dez," Trish said, bringing Austin up to the lunch table. "Meet Austin Moon, our new friend."

Dez looked up, "Oh...You're that kid from my English class."

Austin nodded, "You're Dez?"

"The only Dez in the entire school." Dez replied. Austin laughed slightly. "You don't have to sit with us, you know? You can sit with somebody else if you want."

Trish glowered at Dez and gripped Austin's shoulder, pushing him to take a seat. "No, he can't." Trish said. "Are you trying to push away possible friends?"

"Well, Isn't it unfair that you're forcing him to sit with losers like us?" Dez questioned.

"No, it's completely his choice. He could walk away right now, but he won't. If he does, I'll kill him." Trish said, eyeing Austin. Austin looked up at her oddly.

_Well, _Austin thought, _That's one way to talk to your new friend._

"Trish, Stop before you scare the guy!" Dez said. Trish rolled her eyes and lowered herself into a seat. She tossed a five dollar bill to Dez.

"Get me a water and cookie. Stat." she demanded. Dez grumbled something under his breath before getting up and walking away.

"That was interesting." Austin said, "Are you guys always like that?"

"Oh, that was just me being nice to him." Trish said. Austin cocked a brow upwards. Trish grinned. "So, tell me about yourself, Austin."

"Are you coming on to me?" Austin asked, playfully.

"Sorry, blondes aren't my type." Trish said, "I know I'm quite the catch, but you'll have to look for someone else."

Austin laughed slightly. He shook his head, "I'm from Orlando. My parents mattress store got relocated to Miami. Kind of a good thing, I was probably going to get kicked out of my old school anyway."

"Oh?" Trish looked at him.

"Yeah, I was...mixed up with bad people." he said as she nodded.

"I'm a bad person." Trish told him. Austin laughed. Trish might be a little bit on the aggressive side, but he definitely knew it was a joke. Austin knew what a bad feeling was when he felt it, and Trish never gave him those feelings. "I do feel bad for you. You know, having to move to Miami and leave everything behind and then getting forced to be friends with a hard-headed Latina and a weird-faced tutor. It's shameful and I regret none of it."

"Dez is a tutor?" Austin asked, "But he seems so..."

"Dumb? Yeah, I know. But he really is a good tutor. He sure knows his math skills." Trish said. Austin nodded his head. "But don't ask him to do anything in P.E. Dez isn't...smooth." Austin laughed slightly.

**x**

Austin had been attending Marino High for four days and he already knew every path, every shortcut, every road that lead to his new house. Trish and Dez only ever had to help him once. It was beyond him how he could memorize paths but not math equations.

Austin walked up to the bus stop bench. He checked the time on his phone. He glanced down at the girl sitting on the bench, reading a book. "Um, Excuse me, Is there a bus coming any time soon?" he asked.

She slowly looked up at him. She had an angel face - small, pink lips, pale face, big doe eyes, and brunette hair that fell in waves along her shoulders. She looked slightly shocked that he'd spoken to her, let alone, even noticed her. He raised an eye brow at her, confused by her silence.

She glanced around, looking for another body that he could be talking to but found that she was the only one there. She looked back at him. "Um, Yeah."

"How long until then?" he asked, but just as he asked he heard the sound of tires crunching against the leaves on the road. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the bus. He looked back at the girl. "Thanks." he said. She stiffly nodded, her mouth slightly gapped open. It even remained that way as Austin walked on the bus and disappeared with it.

She slowly looked away, staring numbly at the road. She looked back over where the bus once was and blinked a couple times. She focused on her book again, trying to forgot the blonde boy who had, not only noticed her, but spoken to her, too.

**x**

_**A halloween treat :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

Austin was scribbling lyrics onto the back of a shopping receipt when he felt two presence's crowd the seat in front of him. Austin looked up and saw his two newest friends. His crumpled the paper inside his pocket and tossed the pen to the side.

"You didn't order anything?" Trish asked, taking a menu from a waitress as she walked by. The waitress looked dumbfounded but then kept walking.

"Uh, I didn't know what was good here." Austin said with a small shrug.

"Of course you didn't." Trish said, eyes roaming the menu.

"Trish," Dez said, "He's only been here for five days."

Trish ignored him. She pushed the menu to the side. "I'm going to get all of us an order of Melody's finest Pumpkin Spice Pancakes."

"Pancakes?" Austin's eyes lit up.

"Ah, What do you know? The kid does have a heart." Trish said. Austin stared at her questioningly. "As far as your skinny jeans and love for Zalien's goes, I'd assumed you had nothing to you."

"What does skinny jeans have to do with not having a heart?" Austin asked.

"And Zalien's are awesome!" Dez grinned.

"All hipster kids wear skinny jeans, everyone knows that. Hipsters don't have hearts, they pretend they do, or they announce to the world about how they long for love and I've never heard you once talk about girlfriends, so I just assumed you were one of those heartless hipsters." Trish said. "Unless you're gay. Dez is gay."

"I'm not gay!" Dez shrieked before sending Austin a sheepish look, "No offense to you, of course."

"I'm not gay." Austin said.

"Where is this conversation going?" asked Trish. The boys shrugged. She handed away the menu to a waitress, placing 3 orders of Pumpkin Spice Pancakes. "Austin's treat."

"What!"

"What, do you think money grows on trees? I can't afford this." Trish said.

"And you think I can?" Austin questioned her.

"I thought your parents own a mattress business?" Trish arched a brow.

"They do."

"So you can afford it?" Trish retorted.

"Yes, but-"

"-That's all we need to sleep at night." said Trish.

Austin shook his head. He glanced around the place. "What's up with the decorations?" asked Austin.

"Do you have something against Halloween?" Trish asked making Dez gasp in horror.

"No, no, I don't. I just...a dead cat?" Austin questioned, pointing towards the window.

"It's to add spirit." Trish replied, smiling with delight when the three orders of pancakes were set in front of them. "Now, these are the best pancakes in the world. It takes like a Pumpkin pie."

Austin grimaced, "I don't like Pumpkin pie."

"Oh, you could bitch about anything!" Trish rolled her eyes.

"I'm not trying to complain!" Austin said, "I just...I love pancakes, give me anything with pancakes and I'll eat it - anything but pumpkin spice."

"Eat it." Trish said.

Austin hesitantly picked up his fork and began eating the meal. The flavor bounced around his taste buds delightfully and he almost forgot that he had the taste of pumpkin spice because this was oh, so delicious!

"Huh, huh, See!" Trish poked him with her knife.

"Hey, Watch where you point that thing." Austin frowned at her and continued eating his pancakes. He looked up and saw Dez inhaling his pancakes and Trish moaning happily to herself. His eyes glanced over and he recalled the girl from yesterday. The one with the angel face.

She was sitting there with her book, probably the same one from yesterday. She sat alone and the waitress's and waiters passed her by without sparing her a glance. He dismissed it for the fact that perhaps she'd already been helped and refused their surface. Maybe she just wanted to read, no eating required.

Austin refocused on his pancakes, continuing to gobble them whole. When he finished, he looked back over to the girl and their eyes locked for a moment. Her lips parted again with that small gap. She slowly turned her head to see if anyone was behind her and when she realized no one was, she looked back at him. Austin looked away before the eye contact could get awkward.

"I'm stuffed." Trish announced while Dez agreed with a groan. Austin pushed his plate away as well and tossed a few bills onto the table, leaving the diner with Trish and Dez.

**x**

Austin showed up at the bus stop when he noticed the girl _again_.

Had she been following him? After the moment of eyes-locking-staring-into-your-soul from yesterday, Austin had noticed her for the rest of the day. She'd suddenly appeared at the mall coincidentally roaming through dresses, sneaking glances at Austin. He didn't want to admit to himself that he thought the girl was following him, he didn't want to think maybe she took a liking to him, because both of those things were all too cocky. But then, she'd appeared at the skate park where Trish was introducing Austin to Jace, her boyfriend. The next time wasn't her fault, it was his, he'd seen her in the library window and he'd openly gawked at her as he wondered why she was everywhere he was. She hadn't caught him staring, but this was just _so weird. _

"Can I ask you something?" Austin suddenly blurted, turning to her and taking a seat on the bus stop bench next to her. She slowly looked over at him, glanced away and then back to him again.

"Sure." she replied after a moment.

"Are you following me?" he asked. She'd looked surprised that he'd said it but then she started laughing. He sat there dumbfounded and could not figure out what was so funny. He stared at her with seriousness, not even cracking a smile because, really, he was weirded out, he was _scared for god's sake! _Yesterday could not have been made up with coincidences that he'd seen her. She had to have known where he was.

And that's creepy.

"Sorry, Sorry..." she apologized, clearing her throat and straightening up. She shut her book and set it beside her.

"You didn't answer my question." Austin replied.

"Do you want me to?" she asked him.

He looked at her with wide eyes, frantic and hinting a look of the obvious 'YES'.

She smirked at him. She brought her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "Then, yes. I was following you."

Austin's eyes were round and big. "You...You were?" he stammered. "Er, Um..." he swallowed, "Why?" He really didn't move to Miami just so he could be stalked by some psycho chick who thought he was good looking.

"Because you're different." she replied before giving a wry smile, "But don't let that get to your head." She got up from the bench and started walking away from him.

"Different?" he echoed, "Different how? What does that mean?" Austin asked her, raising his voice so she could hear him as she walked further away.

"You'll figure it out." she replied, over her shoulder. Then added, "Maybe."

Austin stared dumbfounded as she disappeared around the corner. He blinked thrice. "I'm different?" he repeated to himself, arching an eye brow. "Alright, she's all sorts of weird." he muttered. He glanced over. "Hey," he mumbled as he saw she'd forgotten her book. He took it into his hands and looked at it.

He flipped open the cover and saw in neat black sharpie, a belonging: **Property of Ally Dawson.**

"Ally Dawson." he read out loud, her name seeming like it fit on his lips for some unexplained reason.

"Yes?"

Austin nearly jumped out of his own skin, dropping the book onto the ground. He looked over at her with wide eyes. It was the girl, Ally, from earlier. She was leaning over the back of the bus stop bench with a mischievous grin on her lips, her chin cupped inside her palm.

"How did you...You were just..."

"Yeah, I know." she said.

"But you were all the way over-"

"-You _summoned_ me." she said. He stared at her and laughed slightly.

"I summoned you?" he repeated back to her. Ally stared back at him. He reached down and grabbed her book, dusting off the cover that was full of dirt now. "You forgot your book."

"That I did." Ally replied, taking the book from his hands. "Thanks."

Then she walked away again. "Where are you going?" Austin called after her.

"I'll see you again tomorrow." she called over her shoulder.

"Great." Austin muttered. He sat there for a moment, staring off where Ally had once been and then decided to get up and follow after her. He wanted answers from her: _why was she following him? why was she following him? oh, and last but not least: why was she following him?_ And he didn't want that stupid answer of _you're different_.

Austin came around the corner before coming to an abrupt stop. "Huh?" he breathed, looking around. He could've sworn Ally had gone this way. He looked the other way and didn't see her either. His eye brows furrowed together in confusion. It's like she just _disappeared_. There was no way she could have been gone that fast.

Austin shook his head and prayed that he'd imagined her. That he hadn't really been seeing her the past few days. He slowly turned around and headed for the bus stop again. 

_**x**_

_**so i don't know how long this is going to be. It might be less than 10 chapters, it might be more than 10 chapters, i'm not quite sure. if there was some confusion about my account, yes, I did change my user name but then I decided to change it back and I apologize if I confused anyone.**_


	3. Chapter 3

Ally sunk down on the bench next to Austin a slight smile on her face. He looked over at her and sighed, looking heavenward. "You again?"

"I said I'd be back." Ally replied.

"But why?" he asked, "Why are you following me? What's the real reason? And why me? I'm sure there's plenty of other guys _willing _to get stalked."

"That's nice of you," Ally smirked, before she shook her head, "But it's not like that. I didn't mean to stalk you things just...fell into place like that." Ally told him, "And I wasn't kidding: You really are different. You just don't understand it yet, but you will."

"Understand what?" Austin grunted.

"I said you'll figure it out." Ally repeated.

"Can't you just tell me?" Austin questioned, irritated.

"No." Ally said, "I mean, I could, but I really think it's best you figure it out on your own."

Austin stared at her dumbfounded. "Okay?"

"Austin!"

Both Austin and Ally looked forward to where they'd heard the voices. Ally glances back over at Austin. "I'll see you around." she says.

"No, you won't." he replies, rudely.

"You will." Ally smirked, walking away. Austin shook his head and focused on Trish and Dez who were coming towards him. He glanced over to where Ally was and his annoyed expression faded into a confused one. He looked around.

Ally was gone.

It was just like the time she'd gone around the corner; She'd just disappeared. "What the..." he muttered to himself. "Damn, she's got fast legs." he said to himself, shaking his head. He looked back over to Trish and Dez who had finally gotten to where he was.

"Hey, Austin." Dez said, crashing his bag onto the ground and taking a seat next to him. Austin felt mildly popular when Trish sat on his other side. He would've made a small, humorous comment but his thoughts were still stuck on Ally.

"Austin?" Trish said, waving a hand in front of his mortified face. "What's wrong? You look a little bit lost."

His eyes snapped to Trish's. He shook his head, pushing Ally to the back of his mind. "Oh, nothing. I'm just really tired."

She seemed to believe him. "Dez and I want to take you to the arcade after school. Miami has the best one in all of Florida." Trish started to ramble about the arcade but Austin lost himself in his thoughts again as he tried to piece together what had just happened.

It's not like Ally disappeared, of course not. It was just that he was always seemed to have this odd tingle climb up his spine when Ally was around, when he even so much as thought about her. There was something different about her - literally. She wasn't...normal, maybe?

Austin took a deep breath, interrupting Trish's arcade speech he hadn't been listening to. "Let's get to class."

**x**

He sat there in his desk, tapping his pencil to a distracted rhythm. He should've been taking the time to write down his biology notes, but he really had other things on his mind.

Other, _other _things.

Like, _Ally _things.

Like, _Ally basically, sort of, totally, not really disappeared _things.

The bell rang suddenly and he leapt out of his desk, stumbling out into the hallway. Dez and Trish exchanged odd glances. Trish shook her head and grabbed Austin's things, which he'd left behind during his distant body language of "needing to get some air".

Once outside, Austin ran his fingers through his hair, blowing out a deep breath as he tried to regain his posture. He straightened up and forced himself to stop shaking, - and sweating, for God's sake! He didn't know why her exit had left him so bothered all day. He has the feeling he couldn't shake. Like something wasn't right with Ally. Was something up with her or was she just super fast? And what was with that vibrating tingle that he gets when she's around?

He doesn't know what to think about all of this exactly.

He heard his name being called. He turned around and saw Trish and Dez waving at him to stop.

He shook his head and turned the other way, forgetting about the plans for the arcade. He really didn't want to be bothered right now. He knew he was only worsening their confusion and curiosity, but he was suddenly not up to the arcade. Don't get him wrong, he's a really good gamer, he just...didn't feel it. His thoughts were everywhere else today. Maybe tomorrow he'd feel up to it.

"Your friends seem to want to hang out with you."

Austin jumped, turning around and he saw the brunette standing there with raised eye brows. Austin shook his head. "Why do you always do that?" he questioned.

"Do what?"

"Sneak up on me like that?" he asked her. Ally shrugged. He started walking and Ally fell into pace with him, standing right by his side. She glances over at him and found something completely reassuring, relaxing, calming, about his presence.

"Is there a reason you don't want to be with them?" she inquired.

"No - Yes - Well - I don't have to explain anything to you." Austin justified. Ally looked at him with her eye brows lifted high before she gave a small chortle.

"Well, Okay, then." she said.

"How do you always know where I am?" Austin asked her suddenly.

She looked away from him and stared ahead. It was a question she wasn't quite sure with herself. "I don't know. We just always seem to be...around each other and the right times." she fibbed. Austin rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Yeah, whatever." he mumbled. "Do you like the arcade?" he asked.

"No." she replied honestly. "The kid's there are weird and it smells like pizza. I hate pizza."

"You've got to be kidding me." Austin halted in his footsteps, "Pizza?!"

She sighed, "I know! I know! I've heard it a million times! But pizza is so cheesy and...and the tomato sauce is...ugh." Ally's nose crinkled with disgust.

"That is...That is unbelievable. You really are the weirdest person I've ever met." Austin said.

"Gee, Thanks." Ally's tone was wet with sarcasm. Austin didn't even apologize because she really was the weirdest person he ever met: She stalked him and now she just admitted to hating pizza.

They fall into a brief silence as they pass a small group of three kids who don't even seem to notice Ally's existence. In fact, Ally swiftly jumped to the side to avoid them running into contact with her. His eye brows furrow together as he looks back at the kids who are going about their day, not one of them shouting back an apology for being so rude. Austin might've said something to defend Ally but he has the odd tingle running along his back, so he keeps his mouth closed.

"Who are you exactly?" Austin blurted.

Ally looked at him, laughing lightly. "Ally Dawson?"

"No, no," Austin shook his head, "Who are you? I see you everywhere but at the same time I don't. How old are you? What do you do?"

Ally nodded slightly. "Well, I'm seventeen. My name really is Ally Dawson, and I used to go to school full-time but I haven't for last three months."

"You get kicked out or something?" Austin queried.

"No," Ally shook her head, "In fact, I was on the honor roll, but something came up and I had to be excused for a while. Family stuff." Ally said, waving a hand dismissively. Austin nodded his head.

"Do you have any friends?" he asked.

Ally smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah, great ones. They come and see me a lot now that they don't see me around at school."

Austin nodded. "That's good."

Ally nodded her head. "Where do you live?" he questioned.

"That's a little bit too personal coming from the boy who thinks I've been stalking him." Ally said.

"Which you have been." he added sarcastically. Austin shook his head. "Sorry. Don't answer that question."

Ally laughed slightly. She glanced over her shoulder then smiled at him. He looked at her confusedly, wondering why she was smiling. "Looks like they don't let you go too easy."

Austin looked behind him and saw Trish and Dez. He sighed. "Guess not."

"They get like that." Ally nodded her head. He looked at her, realizing she knew who Dez and Trish were but before he had the time to ask Ally dismissed herself turning the corner. Austin frowned slightly before letting Dez and Trish catch up.

"Austin!" Trish said.

"Hey, Sorry." Austin cleared his throat as he looked at his friends concerned faces. "I was talking to an old friend on the phone. We were just catching up."

"Oh," Dez said, "Well, why didn't you say so? Still up from the arcade? It's got the best pizza."

Austin almost blurted about how he couldn't believe Ally disliked pizza but instead of saying anything, he nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess so. I'll do anything for pizza."

Trish and Dez laughed. The group of three began walking forward, heading for the arcade. Austin snuck a glance over the corner, expecting to see Ally and staring around the corner for a long moment. It was suddenly not a surprise that she wasn't there. It was like she had disappeared again.

And Austin was even more suspicious.

**x**

**damn, what is going on in this story, hm? sorry i haven't posted, i'm bad at this. i take excessively long breaks and then forget about stuff and half to re-read and it's a big mess that you do not want to know about. anyway...i got nice comments for this story so i posted. i don't know if this is really a halloween fic anymore, so it's just a supernatural fic. sorry if you wanted something halloween spirited. the more i write, the more i realize how it's just another fic, nothing more special.**


	4. Chapter 4

Austin stood there watching the conversation between Trish and Dez. His eyes flickered back and forth between his two friends as they were speaking - or debating - with one another at a distance they thought he couldn't hear.

"We should tell him about it." Dez decided.

"What's the point?" Trish suddenly got a defeated look on her face. "She's no concern to him."

"Trish, he's our friend now. That means she's his friend, too." Dez said. Austin arched his eye brows, he'd never seen such a caring look in Dez's grey eyes before. "Besides, what's important to us, should be important to him."

"You know how I get when I go in there..." Trish mumbled insecurely, crossing her arms behind her back and looking down at her feet as she used her toe to play with some dirt on the ground.

Dez nodded his head, "We've known Austin for two weeks now, Trish. He'll be supportive of us."

By what Austin was hearing, he knew that something was up and it was serious. The topic seemed to bother Trish to a level of vulnerability he'd never known she had and it brought on a thoughtful, caring attitude from Dez that couldn't go unnoticed.

"Yeah, Okay." Trish finally agrees.

Austin feels his insides twist uncomfortable. He's a little bit nervous by what he's about to hear. It seems too serious to be taken lightly. It's something severely important to them and he realizes that as they slowly walk back over to him.

Trish and Dez exchanges glances. Dez nods at her. Trish looks at Austin who gives her his full undivided attention. "Austin," Trish breathes, "Dez and I want to take you somewhere."

He bites back a witty comment because he really feels like now is not the time. "Alright, Yeah, okay."

He gets inside Trish's small car to which Dez complains is too small for tall people and Austin agrees as he has to hunch over in the backseat. Trish laughs at their torment all the way to their destination. Austin is not going to be surprised if Ally randomly shows up there, too, after all, she shows up _wherever _he is.

He'd talked with Ally a few times over the last week and she still really annoyed him with her constant showing up and disappearing. He just wanted a day where he wasn't nervous that he was being stalked by her. He's pretty sure she's one of the creepiest girls he's met considering she'll show up to any place he is, even when he doesn't tell her where he's been going.

Trish pulls into a parking lot. A hospital parking lot. Austin's face softens at the building. He wonders what they're doing here and decides that this is definitely why Trish seemed so reluctant for Austin to know whatever it is that Dez wanted him to. He felt something like pity tug at his heart.

"We're here." Trish's smile was wobbly and weak. A side he'd never seen before.

The trio stepped out of the car and headed inside the building. Austin hated the smell of hospitals. The scent of cleaning and disinfectant always made his stomach feel sick. Trish clenched her fists. It was just the very vibe of the building that made her feel like crashing to the floor and weeping. Dez, however, never felt bothered in the hospital, but there was a weight behind his eyes, too.

Austin followed them into the elevator, refusing to ask questions. Trish and Dez rambled softly to one another, cracking small jokes to lighten the tension in the enclosed space but it didn't seem to work because Trish still sighed and Dez still tightened the tension in his shoulders.

Austin followed them down the hallway, right into the Intensive Care Unit. Trish's footsteps were slower and neither Austin or Dez wanted to rush her. It was obvious how difficult this was for her. Austin followed silently behind them until stopping in front of a large door.

Trish slowly turned and looked at Austin with a weak smile and slight happiness in her eyes. "Austin," she said, "We have somebody we want you to meet. Come inside." Trish pushed the door opened and Austin held his breath, wondering what he was going to see exactly.

He heard the sound of several machines. Heart monitors, respiratory monitors. etc. He was quiet about stepping inside the room. Trish immediately felt her chest tighten but for once, she wasn't a blubbering mess. She was starting to get used to this.

Austin peered at the body on the bed. A frail girl with pale skin and dry lips laid there motionlessly. Her brown hair was slightly greasy and she had tubes taped over her mouth, her chest lifting with shallow breaths that created noise towards the respiratory monitors. The heart monitor was level with annoying beeps.

Austin suddenly felt like he was imposing. When Trish and Dez gathered around the girl's bed, he decided he should as well, to show his support. He got closer and took a look at the girl. His eye brows pulled together. He looked up at Trish and Dez who were staring down at the girl longingly.

Austin swallowed thickly. He stared for another moment and his head started to spin. His face paled and he tried not to shout out a profanity. It was...It couldn't be...No, it wasn't...

"Austin," Trish swallowed, "This is our best friend. Her name is Ally."

_Oh, it was._

He stared at them for a moment as the dizziness faded and he prayed the color came back to his face. Trish's eyes watered but she didn't let them fall. Dez was strongly silent. Austin looked back down at the girl. He'd just seen Ally this morning, there was no way that she could be here in this bed. It's the wrong Ally.

But it's not and Austin knows that. The woman in her bed is absolutely Ally Dawson. The one girl who has been annoyingly stalking him ever since he'd gotten here. She looked so delicate and fragile laying there with all those tubes connected to her. She looked so different connected to heart monitors, the respiratory machines, the catheter, and the IV bag.

All Austin knew how to do was stare down at her - more like gawk. He took in deep, slow breaths trying not to panic. He didn't know what was going on. He didn't know what was happening to him. He had gone crazy.

Trish swallowed. "A few months ago, she was out at night alone and she...she got attacked. They don't know who did it...But now she's in a coma. She has been for the last three months." A tear finally fell down Trish's cheek. Austin looked at her.

He suddenly recalled Ally telling him about how she hasn't been attending school for three months, that her friends _visit_ her, and last but not least: the comment she made about Trish and Dez as if she knew them.

Because she really _did _know them.

He saw a movement from the corner of his eye and glanced over his shoulder. The tingle ran along his spine again because he had looked just in time to catch a glimpse of the long, brunette hair turning out the door. He didn't follow her. Of course he didn't. He was confused, curious, and scared pretty much senseless.

Austin felt lightheaded. He started to understand the tingle in his spine now. He shook his head, biting his lip. He waited a few minutes before dismissing himself and leaving his friends to grieve over Ally's current condition.

**x**

He found her the next day.

She was modestly sitting on a vacant picnic table, reading one of those books again. Austin felt hysterical as he marched up to her with wide eyes. He stood at one end of the table, reaching over and snatching the book from her hands. He threw it down on the table.

"Hey!" Ally shrieked, scowling up at him.

"You're a bloody ghost!" he howled, accusingly.

Ally gave him an unmasked look. "I prefer conscientious."

"Conscientious?" Austin repeated, bewildered. Ally gave him a pointed look and nodded her head. He stepped back, running his fingers through his hair. "But you're not..."

"Really here? No." Ally interjected bluntly.

Austin took a deep breath, "God," was all he muttered.

"I'm not that either." Ally said with wittiness. Austin looked at her and shook his head. At least she looked better like this rather than on that bed. The image was still burned in his mind.

"But you're...I don't...How...What!" Austin shrieked.

Ally let out a breath, "Oh, boy." she mumbled. She sighed and looked at him, straightening up. She was finally serious with him for the first time, ignoring the fact that Austin might run home terrified or even pass out with this new information. "Look, Austin, They can't see me." she said, "But you can. I don't know how and I don't know why, but you can."

"You mean...You mean...Nobody else sees you?" Austin asked. Ally shook her head. "But I do?" Ally nodded. He felt really lightheaded again. "How - I mean -"

"I already said I don't know." Ally replied.

"So," Austin stopped and looked at her, "You've been following me because...I can see you..." Austin pieced together.

Ally grew a timid look and nodded her head. "Yes." She grew wild-eyed as she blurted, "But only because it's never happened before! And when I found out you could see me, I got curious!"

"This isn't...This isn't happening." Austin shook his head.

"You should try being more open-minded." Ally chirped. Austin glared over at her. "But if you're going to be open-minded, you should probably not talk to me in public...It makes you look like a complete loon."

Austin shook his head. He swiftly took a seat. "I don't understand, Ally. How is this happening?"

"I don't know either, Austin. I've told you that." Ally said. "I don't even know how me being a ghost is a thing - or having a conscientious or whatever." she shook her head. "All I know is I woke up like this one day. I sat up on the hospital bed and when I looked down...I...I was still there, but I wasn't at the same time. I don't know. I tried talking to people but then I realized nobody saw me."

"Are there other...ghosts like you?" Austin gulped.

Ally nodded her head. "Yeah. But they're all kind of weird." Ally replied, "They're pretty angry. They don't like people much."

Austin took a deep breath, letting what she was saying sink in. "I can't believe this."

"Austin, you have to help me!" Ally shrieked. He looked at her alarmed.

"Help you? With what?"

"Getting this to stop!" she exclaimed, "Getting me back inside my body so I can wake up! You need to find out-"

"Whoa! No! No, no, no!" Austin refused, jumping up from the table. Ally looked at him with wide eyes. She hadn't expected him to refuse. He'd seemed like such a nice guy."I'm not helping you. I shouldn't even be able to see you!"

"Austin, you're the only one who does!" Austin could see the plead in her eyes but it didn't faze him.

"No, I'm not going to help you. It's weird, Ally. This whole thing is weird. My friends best friend who is in a coma is now a ghost who I can see and talk to! How would they react?"

"They won't know." Ally replied.

Austin shook his head. "You're on your own."

"Austin, I've been following you around for this very reason-"

"Ally, I'm not helping you." Austin said, firmly, in a tone she'd never heard him use before. He backed up a couple steps, shaking his head. "I hardly know you."

"You saw Trish and Dez. They're destroyed. You mean, you're not going to help me and just let them suffer like that?" Ally questioned. Austin never replied. "Austin, please...My time is running out." Ally pleaded. "If I die, I stay like this forever. You can't let that happen to me. My values, my morals, my everything goes away and I become just like the others. Angry, mortifying, vengeful. You can't let me become like them! You need to help me!"

"How am I supposed to help you? I don't know if you've noticed, but this is out of my control." Austin replied.

Ally sighed, lowering her head. Austin watched her, feeling something tug on his heart. She looked up at him. "Then at least don't let me die without my justice. I don't know who...who attacked me. I did...but I just...Everything is fading. I forget more and more every day. It's just bits and pieces now. You need to find out who did it. That's all I ask, that you just find out who did it. I'll find another way to get back to my body."

"You said...You said your time is running out?" Austin questioned.

Ally nodded. "Yes. It's like a clock." Ally replied, "You heard about the Grim Reaper, right?" Ally said, the corner of her lip tugging up.

"You're kidding me.." Austin breathed.

Ally shook her head. "She's actually really nice," Ally said, "She kinda fooled me when she met me. She just said when my time is coming I'd know. I never knew what she meant until about three weeks ago." Ally elaborated, "The clock stands still until you start really dying. Three weeks ago, the countdown started."

"Do you know how long you have?" Austin questioned.

Ally nodded. "Halloween."

"Oh, of course." Austin said, humorlessly.

"Austin," Ally sighed.

"Look, I'll do it." Austin said, "I'll _try _to find out who did this to you. I can't guarantee you'll live but I'll at least make an effort to put those criminals behind bars."

Ally smiled, "Thank you so much, Austin!"

"What do I do about Trish and Dez?" Austin asked.

"They won't believe you." Ally said, "I mean, who would? You hardly believed me with proof."

Austin nodded in agreement. "So...I just...keep this to myself?"

"Yes." Ally replied. She then grinned a sly smile, "I'm your little secret."

"This is so weird." Austin moaned.

Ally laughed, melodically.

**x**

**there now i posted twice tonight. have a good one!**


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